A Perfect Life… Whats That?
by vadso
Summary: A loving mother, a reformed father and a great career as an auror in the ministry of magic, Draco Malfoy believed that his life was perfect! Only when Hermione Granger joins the auror section, does he realize how wrong or perhaps right he had been!
1. Prologue

**A Perfect Life… Whats That??**

_**Summary: **__ A loving mother, a reformed father and a great career as an auror in the ministry of magic, Draco Malfoy didn't believe that life could get any better. In fact, it was perfect! Only when Hermione Granger joins the auror section, does he realize how wrong, or perhaps right, he had been! _

**Prologue**

According to Draco Malfoy, there are two types of people in the world… One, who believe it is their personal duty to rid the world of all evil, wrong, pain, misery, poverty and stuff. Who strive for universal peace and co-existence. Who think they can make a difference. Who want to make a difference…

The others don't give a damn!

The person who best fitted the first description was none other than the boy wonder, Saint Potter…

It is suffice to say that Draco Malfoy fitted the other…

But, such a life suited Draco very well! He was more than happy living in the Malfoy Manor, his ancestral home, with his parents, fifty or so house elves to do his bidding, a ravishing health (probably that was a big understatement. He was more than just fit!) and the career he had always wanted… He was an auror and quite successful one at that!

After the war had ended, as soon as Draco was 18, he had joined the ministry a an auror under Kingsley Shacklebolt, the best auror at that time and the most likely winner of the elections for the minister of magic which would be held the next year.

Since Draco was 11, it had been his dream to be an auror. The power and the thrill of doing something exciting and dangerous had made him starry eyed whenever he thought of himself as an auror. His aspirations, hidden under the mask of his arrogance and his family's dark history as well as present, were out in the open and boosted by his parents' support as soon as he was free from the hell created in his life by the Dark Lord.

Along with Harry Potter, he had decided to join the ministry as soon as he could. Though Potter's sidekick Ron Weasely had not scored enough in the entrance exam of auror training, he had not been heartbroken. Indeed, he had gone on and joined the Chudely Cannons, his favorite quidditch team…

Draco was only thankful of his merciful absence from his routine! One of the Golden Trio was enough…

He was sure that Hermione know-it-all Granger would be the first one in auror training as she had aced the entrance exam, but, she had joined the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures to save the house elves and campaign for their rights. She could join the auror training any time but she had decided to do some good for other living beings. Another one who fitted Draco's first description of people… No wonder she irritated the hell out of him!

Forced to work together during their training as well as afterwards during encounters and missions, Draco had learnt to tolerate the boy who lived and vice versa. Though they were not bosom friends who hugged each other every time they met, they were no longer at each other's throats either! They made a great team. Because of this, they were paired together many times. Spending so much time with each other, they started understanding each other. They were not mere colleagues but not best friends either. Draco could now bear Harry's do good attitude and his saving the world thing and Harry learned to be amused by Draco's sarcastic and witty humor and snide remarks…

At home, Draco was happier than ever. His mother loved him and showed it. She did everything she could to make her darling son happy and Draco always held her in the highest regards… He loved her unconditionally…

His father was another matter entirely. Though he was no trying to turn his son into a bigoted and prejudiced spoilt brat, he was not the jolly, happy go lucky type father either. He was an intelligent man and treated his grown son just the way he should and Draco was content.

He had never had a scarcity of girl friends and even now, what with his auror title, his gorgeous looks, his 6'3" height and a self confident and arrogant personality, the girls totally flocked to him! And he had his own pick!

Not many people, his numerous girl friends included, could bear him when he got into one of his moods or his '_I'm an arrogant dude, what are you gonna do about that?'_ mode except for his best friend Blaise Zabini. Blaise, though not very close to him earlier in life had become his best friend and Draco his, when they realized how similar they both were. Blaise had always understood him completely. Draco had never had to explain anything to him, he had always been there for him and for this, though he never said anything, Draco was more than grateful.

Blaise's attitude was not much different from Draco's and that was the reason they both bonded so well. Tall, dark and handsome and an auror as well, Blaise was another one with a playboy aura and habits. Though a very efficient auror, Blaise was not usually assigned missions along with Draco. He specialized in capture whereas Draco and Harry went for encounters. Blaise had never had any problems with the golden trio and thus, got on pretty well with Harry Potter.

After the defeat of Voldemort, a change, perhaps for the better had come over the people. Prejudices against muggle borns and squibs were slowly dying out except by the oldies of old pureblood families. Tolerance and a need to co operate came over the rest of the people. They had realized that discords between themselves and hatred towards anyone different had been the cause of the devastating second war. Notions of equal treatment of all living creatures were now preached to children and grownups alike. And they had succeeded. People, now living happily, not scared that the life of their loved ones could be somehow in danger was result enough. No wonder Hermione Granger had succeeded in helping passing of the bill declaring the end of enslavements of all living creatures, especially house elves who would now be paid for their work, with flying colors!

Yes, it was the best time to live in the magical world. And to Draco, such a backdrop in his already great life was not less than paradise. He believed that his life was just awesome, _perfect! _ Little did he know what was about to happen when Hermione Granger joined the auror section in the ministry… He would realize how his life could get so messed up because of that girl… Would she be able to make his life even better or miserable… You will find that soon enough, so, _on with the story!_


	2. The New Mission

**This story is for my best friend at school Shriya! I Hope you are reading this Shriya and I expect at least 3 reviews from you! Yeah, I know I didn't write any disclaimer in the previous chapter but what's the point? You all know the truth deep down in your heart to whom everyone belongs (that's certainly not me). Anyways, enough of my chatter, on with the story!**

**Next, thank you HoneY DiP PriNceSs, Munchie, prinzezz-94, Black'n'evil for adding me to your alert list! I hope that I update asap for all of you!  
**

_**Chapter 1: The New Mission**_

The first rays of sunlight lit up the dark sky. The white and puffy beautiful clouds, bidding adieu to the serene darkness of the night, welcomed the golden light of the blessed sun. The chirping of birds and crickets, as they happily went about their way on this lovely morning, could be heard. Already, a pleasantly cool breeze had started to blow, swaying in its rhythm, the grass, leaves on the trees and the flexible bodies of the innumerable plants making up the gardens of the Malfoy Manor. The scene was as if painted by an artist who knew nature and loved it and had tried to capture its beauty on a canvas and had been extremely successful in his task…

But, perhaps unfortunately, this was not a painting. The beautiful morning was all but lost upon the only heir of the vast estates belonging to the Malfoys. Yes! None other than Draco Malfoy…

The sunrays hit his face gently, lighting it up, as if prodding him to wake up now and start his routine, like his mother would in a few minutes. Instead of getting up like he should've, all he did was mutter a few curses under his breath to the _'bloody stupid sun'_ and grab a pillow from his side and put it on his head. Yeah, Draco Malfoy was not a morning person…

Unbeknownst to the boy who was trying to evade the inevitable sun, his mother had been standing at the door of his bedroom, watching his antics with a smile on her face. She knew her son too well to think that he would get up himself. She very well knew, had it not been for her, Draco would've been suspended from his auror duties, long time back, owing to his punctuality and inability to wake up in the morning.

She walked over to his bedside, and , though Draco knew of her presence, he did not acknowledge her, owing to his bad relation with the sun. All he did was press the pillow harder over his head.

"Get up son! Draco, its time, now, c'mon, wake up!" Narcissa Malfoy prodded her son with her long dainty fingers. All reaction she got was a shrug of his shoulders. She merely smiled and attempted to take off the pillow from his head but Draco latched on to it as tight as he could.

"If you don't wake up this instant Draco Malfoy, I'm going to pour icy cold water on your head. Believe me son, even though I love you, it would give me immense pleasure to start my day with a hearty laugh at your hapless disposition and hurt pride…"

"You wouldn't dare mum…" came the muffled reply from under the pillow.

All she did was smile sweetly at her son and brought out her wand from the confines of her elegant robes and with a quick spell, had her son doused in icy cold water, sitting upright on his soft bed and gaping at his lightly giggling mother.

"H-how could y-you! Mother, I'm your own b-blesh and flood, I-I mean flesh and blood!" Draco stuttered, partly from shock and partly from the cold! And, this shock was giving way to indignation when he saw his mother now fully laughing at his stutters…

"I warned you before! Not my fault if you don't take your mother's threats seriously enough! Seriously son, don't forget I'm your aunt Bella's blood sister! Now get ready quickly, me and your father are waiting for you at breakfast table."

Saying this, she glided gracefully out of the bedroom, leaving a totally soaked and irritated Draco behind. As soon as he got back the feeling in his frozen limbs, he got off his bed and went to the bathroom and proceeded with his toilette, grumbling and muttering under his breath…

Needless to say, such was an everyday scene in the morning in this particular room in the Malfoy Manor, though the methods of waking changed every day. Not once was a method ever repeated. Once, Draco had found himself in a bath tub full of bubble bath and yellow rubber ducks in his bathroom as soon as he opened his eyes when he had refused to wake up. Another time, he had found painful boils on his face which had been removed by his maniacally laughing mother as soon as he was awake as he rushed to look at his face in the mirror. His face came before anything else. One memorable morning, his mother had placed a horrible dream charm on him and he had dreamed that he was trapped in a room full of frogs and crocodiles and pigs(?) and had jolted awake, not able to take any more of the nightmare sort torture. But still, Draco had to give her credit; his mother surely was very creative!

* * *

Dressed and ready in his immaculate auror robes, Draco went down to the dining room of his home to find his mother and father engaged in a conversation. They looked up as he seated himself to the right of his father, opposite to his mother who passed him various dishes of breakfast and he took them willingly.

"So son, how's the work going? Any new missions you've got?" Lucius Malfoy asked his son who was gulping down a glass of cold milk shake hungrily.

"Yes father! A new mission is to be assigned to us today. Potter again as my partner. Can't get rid of him. But still, it is a big case but the details have not been given yet."

"How do you know it's a big one?"

"First of all, it's been hushed up among the others. Other than the aurors, no one is aware that a case has been made on those incidences…"

"What incidences?"

"Sorry father, not supposed to talk in front of civilians!" Draco grinned at his father, enjoying that there was something he knew and his father didn't!

"Don't worry kid; you're not holding anything over me. I already know… Just wanted to see whether you did!"

That wiped the grin of his face like stinksap.

"Whatever!"

"Now son, be serious! Have you any idea about who is behind those attacks…"

"I don't know father. As I said before, we get the details today…"

"That means you better finish off you breakfast and be on your way. C'mon Draco, eat up and Lucius, kindly finish up your breakfast. You are going to accompany me to the art gallery auction today. Be quick or we all are going to be late." His mother cut in smoothly, ceasing the conversation between his father and himself. It was amazing how everyone listened to that frail and helpless looking gorgeous woman but those who had seen her bad side, were always too happy to comply! Draco admired her for the effect her words had on everyone around her and he also realized that she was right and he finished his breakfast with gusto.

He got up and kissing his mother goodbye on the cheek and nodding at his father he went out the door and apparated to the ministry of magic, auror section.

* * *

Draco popped into the auror section of the ministry, only to find Harry waiting for him, a slight sowl on his face, sitting on the spindly chair with his feet propped on the small desk in front of it. This was the entrance of the auror section.

"Late again Malfoy!"

"Have I ever been exactly on time before Potter?"

"No!"

"So why did you expect it today?"

"Malfoy, we are gonna get assigned to a new mission. _The new mission!_ You still don't give a damn do you?"

"I do Potter!"

"Doesn't seem like it! I have to cover for you every time you are late. This is the fifth time I have told Smith that you rushed off to the men's washroom. The poor guy must think you have a bad case of diarrhea…" Harry replied in a smooth voice and got up from the chair in a single fluid motion and walked towards the meeting room with a shocked and speechless Draco behind him…

When he didn't hear any footsteps following him, he looked back at his murderous looking partner. "What now Malfoy?" He exclaimed in a frustrated voice…

"_Potter, I do not have diarrhea!"_

"Whatever, but move quickly, they are waiting in there for us. Moreover, some new freshly trained aurors are joining us today. Of course we will be their seniors. Us and the others have to train them in various fields… Heard this rumor yesterday."

"Seriously? Whatever, let's go now, then."

* * *

They walked into the Meeting Room, a big chamber which resembled slightly, the classrooms of Hogwarts minus the desks, what with the dull décor and the serious atmosphere which never seemed to leave that particular room. Draco was positive that it was cursed to look as dull and boring as it could to make sure that so would be its inhabitants...

Atmosphere of the room aside, it was the room which had lead to the formation of plans which had foiled a huge number of the most complicated crimes of the wizarding world and had twice saved the non magical world from devastating attacks from the fanatics of the magical community, earlier, under the able and reassuring guidance of Kingsley Shacklebolt, and now under William Smith, the present head auror.

Draco believed that if Smith had been a little emotional and a bit sensitive, he would've gotten a family but the only thing that Smith loved was his job. The only thing he had married and would ever was his profession and the thing he would die for would be his missions. This passion and hard work had brought him to the top position and he was the most respected auror only after their present minister, Kingsley Shacklebolt.

Pity the warm respect had not rubbed off on his sharp tongue and no nonsense attitude…

"Late again Malfoy! Do something about your diarrhea boy!" He shot as soon as they entered the room and made their way to their seats a few seats away from their boss at the long table.

Draco gaped as Harry shot him an I-told-you-so look…

"I do not have diarrhea sir!"

"What is it then? Morning sickness?"

Draco would've been highly embarrassed if anyone other than his boss and the snickering idiot sitting opposite him would've heard that comment. But, he was used to Smith's tongue and knew better than to reply to any of his taunts. 

He sat down as gracefully as he could, after being brought down, back to earth from the high and mighty position he held himself in.

"We are waiting for the rest of the aurors to assemble but I called you both before anyone else to talk about the new mission I had told you both about earlier. Yes, the answer to your question is that the attacks have increased in number" he added, seeing the question in both of their eyes, "and after looking through the people attacked, I noticed that they are related to old members of the order of the phoenix."

"Attack on the order members, now! But the war is over!"

"Apparently Potter, some people find it hard to let go of their old prejudices and beliefs. They think that perhaps wreaking havoc and vengeance would be enough to unite the people who still believe the same ideology as the Dark lord had. But, the attacks are not by immature teenagers. The method of attacks is very organized. Though only two people have died due to these 15 something attacks, they are by no way amateurs."

"But sir, it concerns Potter, I understand… Why did you call the both of us?"

"Because Malfoy, both of you are going to head the team which is going to be working over these attacks."

Draco was excited! And by the looks on his face, so was Potter. The thrill of a dangerous assignment was enough for him to bring himself in his most efficient and sharp mode. He was sure he would not disappoint Smith. Though Draco would never say it aloud, he admired the guy and was always ecstatic when he got his appreciation.

"Just the two of us?"

"Oh no Potter! You both will head the team, and that means, no spats between the two of you! If I so much as get a hint that you had been quarrelling, I would suspend you and then God help! New aurors are going to join us today and I will assign two of them to your case. This would include their field training as well. Four other aurors would make up the whole team of eight. Enough for the investigation and capture if possible."

"And sir, when are they joining us?"

"Patience Malfoy! Well, if I am not wrong, here are two of the four I was talking about…" He said pointing towards the glass door of the meeting room. To his delight, Draco saw his best friend, Blaise Zabini sauntering towards the meeting room! Followed closely by Terry Boot, another auror.

They entered the meeting room and wished William Smith a good morning before walking towards their seats and settling themselves. Blaise had grinned at Draco as soon as he had entered the room and Draco had returned it, very glad that his best friend would be working along with him. Seating himself at the right of Draco, Blaise looked up at Smith appraisingly, waiting for his instructions.

"Boot and Zabini, you both are specialists on captures and will be working with these two on the mission I told you about yesterday. Where are the other two?"

"Matthews and Raoul are on their way sir. They were notified of the meeting late at night." Terry Boot answered at once. Blaise rolled his eyes at him…

"Sara Matthews and Arun Raoul should've been here by now! They are going to get an earful of me. Must be hiding in some broom closet and…" Smith broke off as the pair entered the meeting room.

Sara Matthews was a year below all of them at Hogwarts and Arun Raoul had graduated from Beaux Batons Academy with the highest grades. The ministry was more than happy to receive him and he had done his seniors proud. Draco noticed that the most efficient and the best aurors had been set to that particular case and he wondered whether Smith saw it more than just fanatic attacks or whether there was something fishy going on.

"Thank you for gracing us with your presence madam and sir! We would've been devastated by your absence!"

"Sir we were held outside! The new guys have arrived outside, and they were looking for you…" Said Arun, his eyes holding amusement.

"Shit! I totally forgot about them. Sit here and mull over your thoughts while I go and assign them to their tasks and bring in the two who are to join you all…" Smith told them gruffly as he walked out of the meeting room with the heels of his polished shoes, clicking smartly on the shining floor.

"Fancy seeing you here Harry!" Blaise exclaimed as he extended his hand towards Draco's partner, starting an easy talk in the sombre atmosphere of the meeting room.

"I am to head the team with Malfoy here Blaise!" Potter replied, shaking Blaise's hand.

"Oh, so you are the captains!" Arun broke out, "That's cool! This mission would be a piece of cake with all of us working together!" He was a boy with an easy countenance who got along very well with everybody.

"We have to train the new aurors as well Arun, don't forget that!" Sara added leaning back on her chair.

"C'mon, how hard would it be? Smith would certainly not select dunderheads for us to train on this particular mission!" Draco put in his own thoughts…

"How right you are son! Here, meet your team mates…"

From behind William Smith, who had just entered the room and had heard the last comment made by Draco, emerged two people who had all of them gaping! They were the least likely people that Draco had expected!

Looking at Harry Potter's face, he realized that even he didn't know about it before and then, Draco looked forward again…

_Why, emerging from behind Smith were Neville Longbottom and Hermione Granger!_

* * *

**Ok, this is the first chappy of **_**A Perfect Life…Whats That?**_** I will soon update It All Happened Like This but I really wanted to start this story! Please let me know how it was! Very bad, OK or good!**


	3. The Training Starts!

**Hey People! I promised you the chapter on Sunday and its still Saturday and I have updated so three cheers for me!! **

**By the way, I changed Michael Corner with Neville. He was just not sitting in the character! i have made the change in the previous chapter as well and you can go and check it out!**

**Thank you HoneY DiP PriNceSs****VMLoVeR87****Friendorfoesnape, bruddy101 for adding me to your alert list.**

**Thank you ****HoneY DiP PriNceSs, Friendorfoesnape and Shriya for your reviews! Friendorfoesnape, here's some d/hr fighting for you coz it's a little too early for flirting!**

**And now, on with the story!**

_**Chapter two: The Training Starts! **_

_Why, emerging from behind Smith were Neville Longbottom and Hermione Granger!_

* * *

Life is an interesting thing. No, not a thing, it acts more like a human being! Yeah, a living creature with a stupid sense of humor. It likes to throw surprises or shocks in your face when you least want or expect them. This results in the person, to whom it belongs, acting how he/she had never expected they would. An open mouth, a shocked stupid look on the face and a growing feeling of annoyance…

"Close your mouth Draco, before it starts catching flies!" Draco hardly heard Blaise's amused jibe as he saw an ecstatic Harry Potter standing up and hugging his best friend and grinning like mad at his other friend over her shoulder…

No this could not be happening! _And to think that Draco had been excited about that mission…_

But wait, of course, this was not happening! Yeah, it was another one of those dream curses his mother had put on him. He was still sleeping and dreaming. That was all! And, he would get up any minute! He wanted to get up any minute and see his mothers laughing face as soon as he opened his eyes…

Why, _even the sight of that blasted sun was welcome_! Yes! This was a dream only. It was strange of his mother to use that technique to wake him up again but he was not complaining. How they both would laugh when Draco would wake up and tell his mother about his dream. It would be fun…

Draco leaned back lightly on his chair and closed his eyes, but, opened them as soon as he heard the gruff voice of his boss…

"Malfoy, open your eyes boy! This not your bedroom!"

Looking into the eyes of his superior, he saw amusement as if he had understood what had been going through Draco's head…

_Oh no!_

Seeing Smith's amusement, Granger who was now talking animatedly with Potter, her hands in his and Longbottom, who was smiling at Boot, only one thought came to his mind…

It was all real!

_Shit!_

_Neville Longbottom_! William Smith had selected _Neville Longbottom_ for their mission. _The boy_ who Draco and his friends had teased and laughed at mercilessly at Hogwarts. _The boy_ who could not keep a cauldron upright for more than five minutes and was unable to perform even the simplest spells! He had _passed the entrance exam_! How? Draco smelled something fishy… He had probably cheated!

_And Hermione Granger_! Sure she had the brains to become one but that was all she had… Yeah, she had fought in the war and had proved herself to be made of sterner stuff but so had a lot of other people. And you didn't see them becoming aurors…

These things aside… The girl was enough to irritate the hell out of Draco! What with her obnoxiousness and headstrong ideas and stupid beliefs. And he was expected to be one of the aurors to train her in 

combat. And not only her, Longbottom as well. She would probably learn everything and not eat his head but Longbottom!

OK, maybe they were not exactly dunderheads but they topped the two most annoying people list of Draco's…

But no, Potter could keep them! Yeah, Draco wouldn't have to get near them! And they wouldn't want to be chummy with him either… What with the bad blood between them… He would be fine and with the six other people working on this mission, he would not have to be in their company for long…

With that comforting thought in his mind, Draco relaxed a bit and allowed Smith to introduce them to all the aurors present…

"People, this is Neville Longbottom and this lovely girl is Hermione Granger. These two are going to be working with us and have to be trained by all of you." Said Smith pointing towards the new recruits who were standing on his either side.

And he went on introducing them to all present…

"Yes, this is Harry Potter! I hope you know him!"

"Of course sir!"

"And this is Terry Boot…"

Both of them shook his hand, one after the other and Terry winked at them….

"This here is Sara Matthews…"

"I remember you Sara! Weren't you a year below us!" Granger exclaimed excitedly…

"Oh yes! You remember me! Of course so do I!" Squealed Sara, equally excited…

"Meet Arun Raoul. He is not from around here but is one of the best…"

"It's a pleasure to meet you!" Said Arun as he stood up and shook hands with them as well…

"This is Blaise Zabini."

Blaise got up and took Granger's hand in his and lightly kissed it, and then, shook hands with Longbottom…

"My pleasure!" He said looking at them, amused…

_Eew!_

"And finally, Draco Malfoy! He would be heading the team along with Potter…"

Draco merely stood up and smirked at both of them as a sign of acknowledgment and then sat back down…

He looked at the brunette and saw that she had been expecting this and she scowled at him lightly before seating herself happily at Potter's side. Longbottom went on and sat by Raoul and as soon as they were settled, Smith started talking…

"Now people, you all will be working on this mission. Granger, Longbottom, I have already briefed you as to what you would be expected to do so let's get on with the real stuff before the weekly meeting starts…"

"We have collected clues on the various sites of the attacks and they can be found in the file room. You all will take a look at them and will work together to find a pattern among them. I trust you all to use common sense as well as a bit of that thing residing upstairs…" he said pointing at their heads.

Smith went on enumerating the people who had been under those attacks and Draco got a sudden strong sense of déjà-vu of his Hogwarts days that he expected Smith to any moment, dock points off his house for not paying enough attention.

Draco looked around and in every face; he saw intense concentration as if they all were under constipation…

Forcing a loud laugh at his thoughts, Draco looked at Hermione Granger. She was listening to Smith with rapt attention and he knew she was itching for a piece of parchment and quill to take down notes. _Honestly!_ Some things never changed!

Blaise was listening to Smith too, his dark eyes fixed on the wizard's lined face, with a carelessly lazy expression on his handsome countenance. He caught Draco's eye and smirked at him, showing that he too was too bored to listen anymore…

"So, I expect something done before you go back home today otherwise we all are gonna have a nice night session right here with me breathing down your necks like a bloodhound until you find something. So, go on and make yourselves useful before I fire all of you…"

This line was William Smith's dismissing line. Though everyone knew that it was an empty threat but they never knew what might happen if they did not obey the command preceding that line. So, no one took any chances. They deemed their jobs precious enough to not let their stupidity give their slightly eccentric boss a guinea pig to show that he was serious whenever he said that…

* * *

So, they all shuffled out of the meeting room, excited about their new mission and the two new people among them, eager to prove themselves…

"Hermione! Why did you not tell me earlier that you were joining us? It was such a big surprise for me today! Really! And you too Neville. Oh god, I dunno what to say…"

"Then do us a favor and don't say anything Potter…" Draco cut in as he walked behind the others beside a chuckling Blaise towards the directed file room…

"Why don't you do that Malfoy? It would be an even bigger favor to us!" Granger shot back resulting in a frowning Draco and a general laughter…

"I know Harry and I really wanted to surprise you." She continued, "It was actually Madam Hopkirk who helped me make this decision. As the bill on house elf enslavery has already been passed, she told me to go on and join the aurors…"

Draco's frown became deeper. Thanks to her stupid bill, they had to pay their house elves five galleon per month. Not that it was too much and they were too rich to consider this as any loss to themselves, it was just weird and the house elves had become much bolder. His mother found it amusing but he and his father had found it a bit annoying.

"And congratulations Neville on passing the entrance exam. I am sure your grandmother had a talk with Madam Marchbanks before the result huh!"

Well, that did explain his presence here…

"No Harry, I had shut her in her room to prevent her from doing something like that as I knew she would. Anyways, thanks for having so much faith in me!"

_She didn't!_

"C'mon Neville! You know I was pulling your leg. By the way, well done mate!"

"Thanks!"

"So, you are the Hermione Granger! The brightest witch of her age huh? I had wanted to meet you when I heard about you… But, why have you joined us so late? Not that it is but—"

"I understand Mr. Raoul—"

"Arun please…"

"Yeah Raoul," Draco muttered under his breath, "Suck up to her."

"Draco, these things are known as common courtesies! And, as much as it amuses me to hear what you mutter under your breath, I must say that keep it down right now…"

"C'mon Blaise. At least I am not faking it. What with you kissing her hand and shaking his."

"Draco, I do not have a problem with them. And if you could see past your prejudices, you would see the blubbering boy has grown past his stupidity and she is quite easy on the eye!"

"Are you kidding me?"

And as Draco said that, he looked at her as she chattered on, talking with Matthews, Raoul and Boot about God knows what, that she did look pretty good, what with a 5'7"stature, soft but defined features and her hair, grown out of their frizziness into waves and curls reaching her lower back and a pleasant figure. Hell! Blaise was right!

"You see that?"

"OK, fine, she looks good but she is irritating and annoying with her beliefs and the way she behaves when her mind is made up…"

"Draco, you are just being immature…"

"So, you all knew each other at Hogwarts?" Arun was now talking to the three Gryffindors in their group. Needless to say, Sara was a Ravenclaw, so was Boot…

"Yes Arun," replied Potter," Me and Hermione were best friends along with Ronald Weasely. Yeah, the star keeper of Chudely Cannons. And Neville was one of my very good friends…"

"And Draco here…" Arun prompted…

"Malfoy and us never got on well. Though I don't have a problem with him now but back then, he was a little—"

"A lot Harry!" Yeah, Granger had to correct him!

"OK, a lot infuriating and bothersome. We were enemies, much of bad blood between us. He was a pointy faced little bully, what with his cronies walking behind him every hour of the day threatening anyone who dared cross his path and hidden under his father's shadow. I used to hate him then. But now we are alright! Aren't we Malfoy?!"

"Totally peachy Potter…" Draco replied, his teeth clenched…

"Yeah I remember seeing you both fighting!" Sara added. "Used to end up in detention! Didn't you?"

"Sure Sara…"

"Potter, enough with nostalgia! Let's get on to work otherwise Smith'll have our heads. You don't want you and your girlfriend and all your other friends' heads on a silver platter hung behind Smith's chair do you?"

"If you mean Hermione, Malfoy, she is not my girlfriend! And Smith is not a power crazy old fool. Sure he may be stern but remember, I've seen worse!" Harry replied, pointing at his scar…

"Funny, Harry, his particular words make me think of Number 12 Grimmauld Place! What with the severed heads and all…"

"My thoughts exactly Hermione!"

"Whatever, now move fast, enough of all this lovely chatter already…" Draco replied, moving ahead of everyone to partly get a move on his case and partly to avoid the stupidity and the cheesiness ensued by the new comers in all his team mates.

* * *

The file room was only a short distance from the meeting room and the group did not meet anyone one the way. They all gathered around the door as Potter went over to the person sitting outside the room to retrieve the keys… he came back soon enough and they entered the file room. The four aurors Blaise Zabini, Arun Raoul, Sara Matthews and Terry Boot set to work immediately as they knew exactly what to do. Draco and Harry went back to the door to put up wards on them. It was a rule of the file room as it held many classified dossiers and top secret files. Anyone entering the room had to put up eleven wards on it to avoid any attack from the outside, put up by two separate people.

"Malfoy, we have to teach Hermione and Neville how to look through the files for information required as we are the team heads. I'll teach Hermione and you take Neville…"

"No Potter, I refuse to teach that baboon! Half the things I'll say will go over his head. I come here to work, not to get empty headed…"

"Ok, then you teach Hermione and I'll teach Neville!" Harry replied frustratedly…

"No ways, I absolutely refuse! That girl is going to ask me so many questions that I'll go crazy. She's too inquisitive for her own good! I come here to work, not get my head eaten up by vicious females!"

Harry stared at Draco dumbfounded. Then shook his head and finished putting the wards on the door.

"Has anyone told you that you're totally crazy Malfoy!"

"Potter don't change the topic!"

"Listen to me you idiot. I'll teach Neville and you teach Hermione. She'll learn soon enough to leave you alone as soon as possible. Now go ahead before I tell Smith…"

"Potter, your threats don't frighten me! But OK, I'll go, only because you're begging me too…"

"Did no one tell you the difference between begging and requesting Malfoy?!"

"Same difference Potter!" Draco smirked at him and walked forward quickly towards Hermione Granger in order to stop her from opening a drawer which always exploded when anyone opened it…

Then again, maybe he won't!

* * *

OK, so she hadn't opened the blasting drawer. Stopping at the last minute to look behind her as she heard footsteps…

"What do you want Malfoy?"

"Granger, I, being the team head, am going to teach you how to look for stuff in this file room…"

"Why isn't Harry teaching me that?" Her scowl deepened…

"Because I refused point blank to teach that dunderhead." Draco pointed over his shoulder to where Harry was talking patiently with Neville, explaining to him how the records in the room were not kept alphabetically…

"Do you know properly yourself?"

"Of course I do, what do you take me for? I have been working in this place for three years now Granger!" Draco shot at her indignantly…

"OK, OK, relax, I was just kidding!"

"If you want to fool around, I advise you to go join the Experimental Charms Department. Many _funny _looking creatures and people you're gonna find there."

"Malfoy, why can't you even take a joke? OK, I am sorry, now can we move on?"

Fuming, Draco realized that it was not the best time to let out all his irritation towards her and that he'd better start telling her everything now otherwise; they would be stuck in that place till midnight…

* * *

"So Malfoy, tell me again, the records have been kept according to the dates and not alphabetically and that the classified stuff is set alphabetically but according to the places where they've occurred and the top secret records have been set according to the number of people involved…"

"Yes Granger! What we're trying to find are old records about the people who've been attacked recently—"

"To find out a relation and a pattern in the attacks…" She completed his sentence.

"Err, yes. Smith worked out a pattern on the dates of the attacks which you can see in those files kept there on that table…" Draco said pointing towards a huge highly polished mahogany desk in the center of the file room which had as many chairs around it as the people in the room. Right now, Sara and Boot were sitting, reading the files with concentration, foreheads held in their hands. Blaise was standing behind Sara and taking out papers from a drawer and discarding them as soon as he skimmed over them and realized that they were of no use. Raoul was looking over the classified records for some matching style of the attackers and Potter was still teaching Longbottom what had to be done…

"Ok Malfoy. So, I should take some stuff and study it before doing something else. I have understood the pattern of the records. Thank you…"

"Yeah go ahead Granger and make yourself a bit useful…"

She looked at him patronizingly and whipped her head, turning towards the shelves behind her. Her hair swished behind her, almost hitting Malfoy in the face. Though he did like that feeling and the way they smelled, if he didn't say something rude, he wouldn't be a Malfoy…

"And keep that pile of hay away from me before I severe it with my defty little fingers and a big scissors…"

She smiled sweetly at him…

"Malfoy, if you so much as come near my hair, I would severe much more of you than you'd ever expect if you understand what I mean and I hope you remember that I am not one to give out empty threats…"

Yeah, Draco remembered very well… when she had decided to get the house elf bill passed, an old pureblooded wizard had opposed her vehemently and she had promised him that if he didn't get out of the way, she would make sure that he would go bankrupt and she would make sure of that… when he didn't heed her, she got one of her lawyer friends and sued him for every single knut he possessed. She had a very sharp brain and the lawyer was too talented. Needless to say, no one got in her way again…

Another time, a few witches working as secretaries had spread rumors about her and her boss. It would be an understatement to say that she was infuriated. Though she didn't say anything and smiled sweetly on the exterior, she set them up in scandals in such a clever way that no one knew that she had been behind it all and they all had no other option except to resign in order to retain their remainder of dignity.

Draco knew what she was capable of very well. He also realized another thing… He'd better stay away from her hair if he didn't want himself murdered in his sleep!

* * *

**I'll try to update by Monday again coz it's a holiday at school but you guys will get a new chappy by Wednesday, that's a promise! And review if you feel like but it'll be appreciated!**

**Feel fre to point out any grammatical or spelling mistake. i did not have time to look over for them coz it was too late and I had to sleep otherwise I would've missed the school bus...**


	4. The Two Teams

**Hey Everyone! I know it's been a long time but school was busy. Moreover people, this is going to be my last update before 18****th****. I have a killer exam that day. Physics, Chemistry and Math. Two sets! So, the next update will be around 21****st**** or 22****nd****. I wrote it very fast so please excuse any grammatical error or a spelling mistake. I know it is short but the next chappy would surely be long enough…**

**_Thank you Veronica for your reviews! Thanx Shriya, as always! Thank you _wait.siriusly., xxxxcrazychickxxxx and all the other who added me to their alert list!**

**Now, on with the story!**

_**Chapter 3: The Two Teams**_

Granger, Raoul, Matthews and Boot were sitting at the table in the centre of the file room, an intense look of concentration on each ones' face, either their hands at their forehead, or massaging their temples to avoid a huge bout of migraine which was threatening to engulf them…

Potter was standing near the shelf containing innumerous records of past crimes, similar to the ones at their hands and which had occurred during Voldemort's time, discussing in a low voice, something serious with Blaise.

Longbottom was writing something and then observing his untidy scrawl and whatever he had written to look for possible patterns among them and then scratching it out when he found it non sense…

Draco himself was looking over the details of the attacks and the possible list of attackers came up in his mind. The ones who were acquaintances of his father at that time had such a style of killing and attacking and it confirmed his suspicions that they were behind these attacks. Surely the ex-death eaters (those who had been able to stay out of jail at least) were behind it all. Were they looking for some sort of reunion party?

Whatever Draco thought, one thing was clear in his mind… The ex-death eaters would most probably not risk their lives to Azkaban prison again willingly. Someone else must've organized everything and set those people on the dirty work. Was that guy fancying himself as the new dark lord or what?! Whatever, Draco pitied the poor guy. They would catch him soon and he would probably be given a little kissy by the lovely dementors, considering how fierce the magical community was towards anyone who now showed even the slightest aptitude to the evil dark magic.

But the problem lied in finding the person who was responsible for the new attacks. This brought not only Draco, but all of them back to square one. There was only one way to arrest such criminals and that was to catch them in their act. In other words, they had to be caught red handed.

This had been already discussed by all of them and even Arun, who had not been in England during Voldemort's time had to accept that the crimes were similar and not non serious. It all boiled down to the fact that they had to catch the miscreants at any cost to avoid the further killings. It had been very difficult for the aurors to keep the attacks low but if somehow, the media got a whiff as to what was happening, it would not take much time for the people to get back to the panicked state that they had just got used to not being in…

And yeah, they'd be screwed…

"I just can't work out anything in all this trash!" Finally Sara cried out, frustrated at the sheer lack of a pattern in the attacks.

"Relax Sara, take a break, there has to be something here…" Came the muffled yet a bit soothing voice of Terry Boot from behind the cushion he had been earlier using to support his aching neck and now was using for suffocating himself, which, thought Draco, was the stupidest way of committing suicide. Won't you yourself faint before you die due to lack of air and then breathe again while you are unconscious…

"I agree with you sweetheart!" Blurted Blaise from his position beside the shelf leaning with one foot flat against the wall, on the wall itself…

"C'mon Blaise, not you as well!" Arun said as he looked up from the parchment on which he had been scribbling. "You all know how important it is for us to work it out!"

"He's right!" Harry added, joining the conversation with the intention of making them all go back to their work.

"Oh please Potter! We all know that we are getting nowhere! Might as well give it up!" Draco drawled, utterly bored with the proceedings…

"We are certainly not giving up this mission!"

"I know that Potter! What I mean to say is that we will not get any lead in this stupid room among all these foul records."

"Do you think I am a tad bit less frustrated than you?"

"Why don't you accept it Potter?! Let's get out of here, call Smith and do some real work instead of this research non sense!"

"And how do you expect to get on to real work when you've got nothing to lead you…"

"Why can't we just—"

"The attacks are totally random! I don't understand whether it's unintentional or premeditated but there is no link between the fifteen attacks except perhaps the identity of the attackers and the kind of people attacked, all of them being old order of the phoenix members…" Hermione Granger let everybody know her thoughts, effortlessly ceasing all traces of the argument which was ensuing in the file room.

Draco was forcefully reminded of the similar power of his own mother…

"Hermione, are you sure!"

"Believe me Harry, if there was anything for us to find, we would've done so a long time back…"

"But it doesn't seem likely!"

"No it doesn't Arun."

"What are we going to tell Smith?!"

"Sara, there is no choice for us to tell him anything but the truth!"

"But! Where does this take us?"

"Neville, I do not know…"

"Oh please!" Draco bit out,"this is utter non sense! Chain attacks are never random."

"Oh yeah?" Hermione stood up from her seat, her hands at her slim waist and glared at Draco. "What are you trying to say?"

"That you are wrong! Granger this is not an arithmancy problem. This is serious."

"Thank you very much for enlightening me" she replied coldly. "Fine, I am new here, that's why I am, according to you, unaware of the importance of the situation, right?"

"Absolutely!" Draco replied, a little unsure of where she was going…

"Then Malfoy, I don't see you, who has been working in this branch for more than three years now ready with a solution to our problem! Why is that?" She asked, her cold demeanor giving away to an extremely innocent look, but her eyes glinted on even more dangerously than before.

Draco opened his mouth a second too late to realize that he did not have any answer for her. He closed his mouth with a sour look on his face and the slight sound of sniggering from the direction of his best friend made him turn his neck towards him so fast that he got a crick in it.

Blaise had an amused, correction, extremely amused look on his face and his slight snigger gave way to a chuckle and in no time, everyone in the room was laughing! Now this was humiliating. Granger would pay for that, surely…

Yeah, and Blaise was supposed to be his best friend…

He walked out of the file room with the intention of calling their boss, with his head held high. As he exited, he glared once more at Hermione Granger, who had a smug look on her face, promising her without words that this was not over…

* * *

"You mean to say that you lot have been sitting on your butts for nearly four hours and still haven't found anything?!" William Smith thundered at the young aurors, disappointment evident on his lined face…

When Draco had gone to fetch him, he had been talking with Agatha Kendal, an old witch from the accidental magic department, with a cup of steaming black coffee in his hand. Draco was sure that the way he cut off mid rant with Agatha that Smith expected that they had had some success with the details that had _him_ baffled. Poor man!

He was not in a good mood as he led Draco back to the file room to talk to the rest of the aurors and a sight of the amused workers made him even more irritated.

"Sir, Malfoy is right. We couldn't find anything. There wasn't anything to find in all this. But sir, Hermione thought that…"

"Yes Granger. Please tell me. I'm dying to hear anything regarding this. What is Potter here trying to say?"

"Umm, actually sir—"

"Speak up girl!"

Draco could see that now that she had to present her preposterous theory to the head of the auror department that she was pretty nervous, as she stumbled a bit. Then, gathering her wits, she raised her head dignifiedly and spoke…

"Sir, I believe that the attacks are totally random. It maybe to throw us off their scent or perhaps the attackers are totally stupid."

Smith stared at her.

"I am sure Miss Granger that you have read and been taught that chain attacks are never random."

"But sir there is no other option!"

"I find it real hard to believe Miss Granger."

"But sir, Potter cut in to defend his best friend; we have no other option but to accept this theory!"

"Potter, might I remind you that we are not playing here. Lives are at stake!"

"Sir, we tried our best but really, there was nothing else we could work out in all this!"

"Ms. Matthews, control your frustration!"

"But she is right!" Terry Boot finally stood up and addressed the head as bravely as he could. "Sir, we have been stuck in this room since morning and—"

"Silence all of you! I do not want any justification of your laziness! I want work done in front of my eyes and this morning, my best aurors have disappointed me."

Blaise, who had been watching the drama in the file room, now raised himself from his indifferent hunched position to his full height of 6'4".

"Sir if I may. We all have certainly done our best and perhaps what Ms. Granger is saying is all that we had to find. Why not take a chance and plan a strategy for some action. I think this is what we should work on now."

Blaise just had to soothe down their boss when Draco was starting to have fun, seeing the people who had laughed at him, snubbed by their superior. Oh well, at least he was talking sense.

Smith, who was mulling over Blaise's words, looked at his watch. It showed 2:30 in the noon.

"Now listen to me all of you!" He said with a forced calm in his voice. "Its lunch time and you all better go and eat something. I do not want any of you, girls especially fainting on my hands. I have worked out a plan which I'll discuss with you as soon as you're back. Now, off with all of you and the one who does not return by 3:15 will be fired!"

* * *

Draco always found it odd how William Smith paid attention to the eating habits of his aurors. He never let them miss their meals, even if they were in the middle of a very important meeting, probably deciding the fate of the wizarding world (and it had really happened once!)

Looking at Granger and Longbottom, he could see that they were a bit surprised by the command of their boss but had complied without any opposition.

All of them filed out of the huge file room and moved towards the canteen.

Once there, Draco and Blaise occupied their favorite table, the one which was nearest to the canteen counter. When all of them had taken their trays, they came and sat around them owing to the scarcity of space as the number of people in the canteen was increasing…

"So Hermione, Neville, how did you find our auror department?" Asked the ever enthusiastic Harry Potter…

"Well, I dunno Harry. Till now, it's been a little dull and _annoying!_" She replied and said the last word throwing a dirty glance towards Draco. This was not missed by Blaise. They grinned at each other!

"Well Granger, it is the part and parcel. If you want to be something, there are always hurdles. But the one who crosses them is the winner! The achiever! The—"

"No one asked for your bloody preaching Malfoy!"

"Whoa there! Are you two always like that?!"

"This is nothing Arun, you should've seen them going at each other during our order of the phoenix training!"

"Hark whose speaking Neville! If I remember correctly, weren't you the one who kept all the—"

"OK Hermione, I get it!" Longbottom replied, his ears turning light pink! Draco wondered if he had anything to do with the… _Alright! He was the one! Longbottom was so gonna get it now…_

"So, Neville, what did you do before coming here?" Terry continued in order to keep a conversation going…

"Well, I was at Hogwarts, Helping Professor Sprout with her greenhouses! I even taught a bit but the kids kinda didn't pay attention..."

Draco wondered why the kids wouldn't pay attention! It was not as if their teacher was stupid or a bumbling fool. But wait, _yes he was!_

"Must've surely been fun right?! Herbology was my favorite after defence at Hogwarts!" Sara Matthews contributed as enthusiastic as Potter. Draco couldn't help but comment…

"Sara, Herbology is a subject for losers…"

"Just because you were not good at it Malfoy, does not mean that it is not important." Granger snapped at Draco. Well, lunch was becoming more and more fun.

Ignoring Blaise who was motioning for him to keep quiet, Draco went on…

"Granger, considering I am here, I must've surely passed the subject with flying colors, contrary to your proposition…"

"Yeah, it is soooo hard to get an A in it…"

Longbottom turned towards Granger…

"Hermione, what do you mean? _You_ think I am a loser too?"

_Nothing to think about buddy, thought Draco._

"N-no, Neville, you know I did not mean to say anything like that!"

"But you did!"

"Neville, Hermione would never hurt you intentionally, you know that!" Potter, the self proclaimed mediator butt in, and just when Draco was about to have fun!

"I thought she wouldn't Harry!"

"Oh my God! Neville, I am sorry! Malfoy, you are a shithead, this is all because of you!" She said the last part of the sentence, glaring at Draco and then, stood up huffily, taking her tray along with her and sat at another table.

_We're even Granger, _thought Draco…

"Malfoy! What is your problem?! Would it kill you to be civil to each other?"

"Yeah, it would Potter!"

"Never mind. I'll go after her…" And he walked away from the table too…

As he turned back to all the people sitting around him, he replied, stretching out on the uncomfortable metal chair and smirking at them all…

"_What!_ I was just trying to have some fun!"

* * *

At 3 p.m. all of them filed outside their boss's office. Potter, who was standing at the front beside Granger, who, to Draco's disappointment, was looking considerably more pleased, knocked.

"_Enter!"_

All of them entered Smith's office. It was a big room. Not big enough to look useless, but big enough to hold the infinite number of files, records, paper works, stationary and a lot of detection instruments, which always fascinated Draco. But, everything was kept neatly in shelves. Cleanliness was Smith's weakness. He couldn't work in a dirty place. Everything had to be spic and spanky! He always said that clutter entrapped his thoughts and ideas and he wouldn't be able to perform any normal job, let alone his auror stuff…

Whatever!

Anyways, as they walked in, Smith, who was writing something on an official looking parchment, did not look up but motioned them to seat themselves in front of his desk.

When they all were seated, he looked, set his quill back on its rhinestone stand and looked at all of them carefully…

"OK people. I had to take some time to cool off and now, I as well as you all, I am sure, are ready to work. First of all, Ms. Granger, I apologize. You had been right! The attacks were random and I have a hunch as to what is going to happen next. You see, when all of you were stuffing your faces, I got an anonymous tip off, which is reliable. So, our plan of action has to be decided…"

"We will have two teams among you all. It'll make your work more efficient and faster, I am sure of that. Moreover, our new members will have a chance to learn individually from your group heads."

"Potter, Malfoy! Boys, you will be the group heads. Now, four people in each group."

"I'll divide you all."

"Raoul, with Malfoy."

"Zabini, with Potter."

Both of them dutifully stood up and sat beside the one they were assigned to.

"Boot, you go with Malfoy."

"Matthews, you're with Potter."

Malfoy was worried by now. He wanted anything but any of those two left in his team. Who did he not want more? Longbottom the idiot or too smart Granger…

Well, the girl did have some vengeance towards him, judging by the way she had been steadfastly ignoring him and glaring daggers when she thought that he wasn't looking, and hers was more dangerous than Longbottom's.

Draco prayed to God, _not her, not her, not her_…

"Longbottom, with Potter."

"_Granger you're with Malfoy!"_

_Oh shit!_

_**OK guys, please review and let me know how you found this chapter. I know the story is moving a bit slow but it is gonna pace up from the next chapter when all of them will go on their first mission.**_


	5. Cotton Candy!

**Hi guys! I am back!! I know it's been ages since I last updated but I have been so busy with school that it was really impossible for me to update at all! I'll try and update sooner now as I already have the next chapter all planned out in my mind. Don't hate it, I wrote it after a long time and undoubtedly, my writing has gone rusty! This chappy is in Hermione's point of view. I wanted you all to get to know something about her as well. Hope you like it! And review and let me know how I can improve… Now, on with the story!**

* * *

"So… You and Malfoy huh?! New chums??"

"Are you totally nuts Ginny! Me befriend that pawn of Satan? I'm telling you sweetheart, start paying attention to the expiry dates of the mayonnaise, salsa and tinned fruits that you are eating all together…"

"Eww!"

"Shut up Harry! It's delicious." Replied Ginny Weasely who was perched on the top of the kitchen table at Hermione's flat, where she was temporarily staying as her own was being renovated. She did not care how much she was disgusting her friends and older brother as she ate the above stated food items by mixing them directly in the tin of the canned fruits.

"I swear Ginny, these cravings you have to eat strange-"

"Not to mention disgusting…"

"Yeah, thanks Ron… foods, one might think you are pregnant!"

"C'mon Hermione! It's good! Don't you ever have the urge to do something different, strange and rebellious sometimes??"

Hermione Granger could do nothing but roll her eyes to the ceiling and mutter "_honestly"_ to her best friend and turn around to look at the kitchen clock. It was 8 in the morning. There was still an hour and a half before she and Harry and the rest of the aurors had to report to the head for the case they had been working on.

Hermione lived in a pretty, spacious (having four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen, a big drawing room and a dining room) and a comfy apartment which she had inherited from her grandmother. Being an only grandchild, she was the heir to her gran's possessions and her grandmother was, saying it very modestly, rich… Hermione had been destroyed when she had died as she had been very close to her but yellow fever at her age, death was pretty inevitable. But at least she had been happy to go, she would be with her husband again whom she loved 

but death had done them part. Her parents too doted on their only child and she never had any financial, or to speak, any sort of problems at all.

Her parents lived at an hour's drive from her home and she was on great terms with them too, so were her friends! Harry, Ron and Ginny were like children to Mr. and Mrs. Granger who had always wanted a family as large as the Weasely's.

Harry Potter, her best friend lived in the flat two stories above her (she lived on the seventh floor). When she inherited her flat, Harry was also eager to buy a living place of his own (he was more than happy to leave the Dursleys forever) near her so that the friends could stay close and not grow apart ever. Ron had not bought his own house and stayed sometimes with Harry as being a Quidditch star, he had to travel a lot and purchasing a home would be foolish. He remained in a place for a maximum of three weeks. This was what he told everyone but Hermione and Harry knew that the real reason behind his decision was that he was too much of a baby to live without his mother's cooking!!

Ginny, on the other hand enjoyed living alone, or at least out of range of her brothers, mother and father. Being an only and the youngest girl in a family full of overprotective brothers and a fussy mother, she enjoyed her freedom immensely. Not that she didn't love her family! She loved them all to pieces, but they could be a little overbearing sometimes... Ginny worked in the ministry in the department of Magical Law. She had just started working there, finishing her training as an advocate, six months earlier. She had the potential to become a great lawyer as she had won all three small cases that had come her way by now.

Grown to a full height of five eight and a half (one and a half inch more than Hermione) which was a characteristic of the Weaselys not to mention her long waterfall of red hair (which reached the small of her back) she was an impressive figure in the dull and dreary court rooms of the Ministry of Magic. Though, people would not believe that the beautiful and aggressive lawyer Ginny Weasely was the same person who was still sitting on Hermione's kitchen table eating whatever first came in her hand in Hermione's kitchen shelf!

This morning found Hermione, Harry, Ron (who was in London for another week and was staying with Harry) and Ginny in Hermione's kitchen trying to make some breakfast even though none of them except Ginny could cook well. Harry could make eggs but nothing else, Hermione could only make bacon and Ron knew how to make tea. They always ate breakfast together whenever Ron was in town. Whenever he wasn't, Harry and Hermione, sometimes joined by Ginny (who lived in a building in the next block) would go to the nearby Starbucks café for breakfast.

Harry, in the middle of making scrambled eggs for all of them had told them all about their new case (leaving out the details of course) mainly about how Hermione was in Draco's team. 

Hermione was in the middle of reading the newspaper when Ginny had commented on her predicament...

Ron did not like it at all. He was confused as to how he should react and was muttering incoherently when Ginny's next dialogue broke him out of his reverie…

"Ooh! I am so happy for you Hermione. When are you two gonna start dating? And please can I be the maid of honor??"

_Everyone's reaction to this statement was priceless!!_

Harry's hand twitched violently and an egg fell from his hand and smashed into the buttered frying pan! Hermione's newspaper fell on the kitchen table and she sprayed the person sitting next to her with the coffee she was halfway through drinking, who happened to be Ron! Poor guy, who was still in his pajamas, was covered in hot black coffee thanks to Hermione and dropped the butter knife with which he was buttering the toasts, in the butter dish. The butter flew on contact with the splattering knife and smeared itself on his face and chest (some of it went in his hair as well!). All three of them looked at Ginny as if she had gone mad. Ginny on the other hand looked as if she was trying very hard not to cackle maniacally in their faces at the reactions she had received!!

"ARE YOU BARKING MAD GINEVRA?"

"Me and that slime ball?! Eew Ginny, I thought you had taste and standards!"

"Hermione, please throw away any out of date eatable from your house. If you do not have time, I'll come and do it for you every week. At least we won't have Ginny going crazy on us…"

"First of all _Ronald,_ kindly refrain from calling me by my full name. I am not mad. YOU are the one who needs to see a healer about your eyes if you can't see how perfect they are for each other. Secondly Hermione, I do have _taste and standards_!! And once you open those brown buttons stuck on your face, you would see that he is an exquisite specimen of male species… And thirdly Harry, I checked the date on this tin and these fruits do not expire until the end of the world."

"…"

"Ok, until the next three months…"

"I refuse to take any of this madness anymore!" Hermione finally stood up from the kitchen table but not before throwing Ginny a dirty look. "I am going to get ready."

"Good idea, we have to leave in 45 minutes…" Harry replied shaking his head hopelessly at the red haired girl and going back to his eggs which were now scorched black.

"And I am going to take a bath!" Ron disapparated to Harry's apartment after wanking Ginny's ear slightly who in turn hexed him and he got covered in big flying bogies! As if he was not already dirty enough!!

Hermione walked into her bedroom. Having already taken a shower, she opened her closet to bring out the black auror robes which she had started wearing three days ago. Yes, three days had passed since they had started working at their case. Not making any more sense out of the records, they had resorted to questioning people under suspicion. But, they had no luck for a long time. After questioning what seemed as the thirtieth crook, even Arun had started losing his cool.

It was highly frustrating to question crooks but they were the ones who had any information if something fishy was going on. She and Neville had been surprised and bemused at how scary Harry could become while questioning!

Undoubtedly, Malfoy, too, was a pro at the job. He moreover looked like he was enjoying doing that stuff! And Hermione grudgingly acknowledged his expertise… She was very happy to be able to learn from the best but she would admit thinking that over her dead body!

Malfoy was amused while teaching her and told her that she would be able to do it easily. All she had to do was switch on her mini McGonagall mode and the crooks would be spewing out their innermost secrets… _The nerve of the git!_ She had wacked him hard on his back with his own file for that comment!

It had been difficult at first. First two somehow realized that she was new and were cocky with her. They stopped only when she brought out her wand and put it on their necks threatening them with all sorts of destruction spells she knew. And Malfoy laughed through it! He had to oversee her first five sessions. Though he certainly wasn't as amused as three crooks hit on her! Hermione only remembered hearing a forced snicker as she slapped them!!

It was not before yesterday afternoon that they had any luck. Blaise had found Mundungus Fletcher in the depths of Knockturn Alley where he had been bragging as to how he knew that something big was about to happen and it would give the useless aurors of the ministry some work instead of snooping around petty thieves and stealing their trinkets. He arrested him at once and brought him to the ministry where Harry and Malfoy went to work on him. After an hour, they finally came out and told them all what they had come to know.

Mundungus had said that ex-death eaters were involved but it was something which was _not_ related to Voldemort or any revenge on old order members. He had refused to say anything more but had said that something was about to happen the next day in the housing area in Diagon Alley. Not able to get anything more out of him, Harry and Malfoy had started formulating plans after discussing everything with Smith. Then, both of them had talked to the rest of them about what they were planning for the next day.

Today, they were to stay guard in Diagon Alley starting from noon. Hermione was excited. It would be her first field operation. Thinking about it even made her restless which amused Harry to no end! He told her that it was not necessarily going to be exciting but she ignored him!

Quickly putting on her form fitting robes (so that they would not hinder while running and other things), she brushed her long hair and tied them in a long braid. She put on a bit of eye shadow and mascara and ran a chap stick over her lips and declared herself ready for the day.

She heard the shower going on in the adjoining bathroom indicating that Ginny was taking a bath. Hermione took a moment to look at herself. Even though she was not athletic and toned like Ginny, Hermione could say that she did not have a bad body. Not that she cared but many boys had asked her out and she had denied them and sent them on their way with a sharp word before Harry could scare them away! She wanted someone who could appreciate her intellect and independence, not her face or body. No wonder she had had only three serious boyfriends till date, two of them being Viktor Krum and Ron!!

Harry called out to her and she quickly put on her sneakers and ran out of her room!

Leaving Ginny on level one, Harry and Hermione hurried to the Auror Department. Blaise, Arun and Sara were already there and were waiting for the rest in the meeting room. Harry went up and took the chair on Smith's right and Hermione seated herself opposite to Sara and next to Arun. All three smiled at her warmly and greeted her and she reciprocated. Hermione looked at her watch and saw that it was 9:25 a.m. ….

The door opened to admit a harried looking Neville and Terry Boot who was clutching a plastic up full of steaming coffee. Neville sat down next to Sara and Terry next to her. Hermione smiled at both…

"Boot, does this look like the canteen to you?" Smith asked, his voice bordering on angry and amused…

"No sir! Sorry sir!"

"Drink it or throw it…"

Terry Boot looked down at his steaming coffee. Hermione could feel the heat radiating from the cup. Nopes! No way could he gulp it down. And she could clearly see on his face that he would become the living dead without his morning coffee!

He tried to drink it but it probably burned his tongue judging from his expression. Smith was still looking at him half amused and half annoyed. Then Terry, with a resigned sigh went and threw it in the bin.

Hermione looked at her watch again. It was now 9:40. Hermione let out an impatient sigh. This was ridiculous! Her team leader had not arrived yet and today they had to finalize their plan of action...

Tapping her fingers on the table, she glanced at the head of the table and saw William Smith reading some official looking documents in his file. Beside him, Harry and Blaise were immersed in a deep conversation... Sara was filing her nails and on her side, Arun was looking as if he was meditating with his eyes closed and Terry Boot was looking as if he was having immense trouble in just keeping his eyes open. Neville was the only one who did not understand what was happening and was warily glancing at Smith time to time.

9:48 a.m. This was beyond limit! Hermione could not understand how the head of the Auror Department accepted such behavior from his aurors. Draco Malfoy was so getting it today—

Suddenly, the door opened and Malfoy entered looking and smirking as if he owned the place. He sauntered towards his chair on the left of Smith's and seated himself as gracefully as a king would on his throne. Hermione glared daggers at _his royal highness_ and was about to utter a scathing remark when Smith beat her to it…

"Decided to grace us with your presence finally huh? What's the problem boy? We are here to help you… Is it the diarrhea again or do you have some mental or physical afflictions? Or perhaps some sort of drug addiction which would disable you to function properly before a certain time?"

_Hermione couldn't agree more!!_

* * *

Hermione, Terry and Arun were all sitting in Malfoy's office. Though she hated to admit it but the moron had taste! His office was sophisticatedly decorated in a way that shouted out _I AM RICH!! _A big highly polished mahogany desk was placed beside the big window, behind which Malfoy was seated. Hermione could see a few pictures of a woman who could be none other than her mother and another picture of his mother with his father. Hermione could see that she was a vision when as happy as she seemed in the moving pictures and she wondered why he did not inherit anything good from his mother… Narcissa Malfoy was known for her generous donations, unlike her husband who only donated when he needed something done by the people he was about to impress, for the needy. If only she could rub off on her son, who was the epitome of meanness and evil and all that was bad an—

"Guys, we cannot let go." Draco Malfoy stood up, towering above them all and looked at them with what Hermione deciphered as emotion… "We all have worked very hard to gain victory over the evil. We have finally been able to make peace and coexist with other life forms and we are not ready to let go. We will not let them overtake. We are going to overpower them and not let them threaten the world in which we live, in which our children are going to live… So, let's try our best to do our best and whatever it takes to do our best today…"

_Ok, Hermione was dreaming! This was certainly not the man she knew by the name of Draco Malfoy… Maybe Smith was correct… But whatever it was, he was certainly taking heavy doses of it…_

"And if we do not catch more miscreants than the stupid saint Potter's team, I am going to personally skin you all alive!"

She heaved a sigh of relief, the idiot was alright!

"But Draco," Arun now stood up and said to Malfoy, "We don't even know what we are supposed to be on the lookout for!"

"Well Arun, Smith did say today that he could make a shrewd guess that whatever we are going to face today would be something really out of the ordinary. So, I believe our best shot is going to be on the lookout of even the slightest of discrepancies. Our wands are going to be connected to each other by spell. If any of us are in mortal danger, everyone's wands would glow and heat up. My wand is connected to Potter's so all the aurors would be able to come on the attack scene…"

"Our positions, Malfoy?"

"I will decide them when we reach there, Boot. Be on the ready to be able to capture anything or anyone that comes your way. Kill only if you can't help it."

_This did not sound at all right to Hermione…_

"_Malfoy! _We are not killers. We are aurors! How can you even ask us to kill someone?!"

"This is your next lesson Granger… Even though, as you say, 'aurors are not killers', an auror can kill in self defense, or if the opponent is annoying him to hell…"

"I can't believe you can be so juvenile about something so serious!"

Arun went to Hermione and tried to cool her down a bit as she looked every bit as if ready to fight and pounce on him…

"Calm down Hermione, even though he is wording it improperly, this really is a lesson in auror training and you may perhaps learn its importance after today. And Malfoy, can you stop messing with her?"

Malfoy just smirked at her and she really wished he was not her team leader… Ooh, if only their places would exchange!

"I am not messing with anyone Arun! She is the one whose got her knickers in a twist!"

"I will not stand for any nonsense from you. We are not at Hogwarts, let me remind you…"

"You do not need to remind me of anything Granger. But let _me_ remind you of something… Who is the team leader over here?"

"……you."

"And who are you going to listen to?"

"………you."

"So, when I say that _you_ are going to be positioned at the end of the main street we have been assigned next to a dark dingy alley way and a bar, are you going to decline?"

Hermione could swear she saw at that moment, a gleam of triumph and challenge in his eyes as he spoke to her… Oh, how she'd love to claw them out!!

"…No. But let me tell you, I can be professional about this too and-"

"Good girl!" Malfoy, sat down back on his chair with a victorious look on his face. "Now go and get me a steaming black coffee and mind you, don't spill a drop!"

"_I refuse to act like your servant!"_

"_Stop! Please! You guys are giving me a bloody headache! First Smith, now you. I have not had my morning coffee and if you keep going on, I am surely gonna burst a vein and then you'll be one auror less Malfoy! How are we going to defeat Harry's team then?"_

Hermione rolled her eyes to the ceiling… Men are all immature pigs!

* * *

Now, when their head had said that this case was not going to be some sort of party, Hermione had thought it would be dangerous and exciting. She had been eager to finally be able to use the expertise she possessed on the battle field. But whatever she had thought of doing, it was certainly not this…

She was standing in a children's park near the houses of the wizards and witches that lived in Diagon Alley, wearing a pink colored robe which matched with the cotton candy she had on a stick and was selling to any little child that came on her way. In the middle of the green and lively park, she looked every bit as a happy go lucky cotton candy seller, but for the amazing frown which had stuck on her forehead…

_This was totally ridiculous!_

Malfoy had positioned Arun and Terry near suspicious areas round the corner of the street. He himself was near the end of the road which merged into a forest whereas she got stuck in the middle of swings and children and flowers and damned _cotton candy!!_

Hermione Granger would not stand up for this sort of silly and unfair prejudice. Men were being macho and stuck her in a place where they expected the least danger. Hell! She would have been happy with the place Malfoy had described for her in the office. Oh, he was so dead when she got her hands on him…

"Hey Miss, can I have some cotton candy?"

She looked down to see a little cute boy with blonde hair and black eyes missing two front teeth, grinning up at her. Hermione's frown instantly turned into a wide smile as she handed 

him some candy and ruffled his hair as he ran back to his friends who were pretending to play Quidditch on small plastic brooms… Her heart melted to the ground!

Who would be heartless enough to harm these lovely kids!!

_She would be surprised!_

* * *

It was now dark. Past eight, Hermione was sure and nothing had happened yet. She was sitting on a bench in the park and waiting for something to happen for the last eight hours…

Malfoy had apparated there thrice to check on her. When he came the third time, Hermione had snapped at him saying that he needn't come here again and again. She was not some sort of novice or a frail doll who could not take care of herself, to which he had just laughed and apparated away, not before taking a packet of cotton candy from her and stuffing it in his mouth. What an insufferable and immature git!

Something snapped behind her bringing her out of her thoughts. Hermione quickly jerked and turned around, wand on the ready and already in action mode… _Only to discover a small puppy looking at her with big brown eyes!_

She sighed and walked over to the poor creature and picked it up. He cuddled into her arm and she couldn't help but smile!!

Then, she heard another crack behind her and turned again, wand on the ready and this time, on battle mode… _Only to discover a blonde ferret looking at her with narrowed grey eyes._

"Granger! What the hell is that in your arms?"

Hermione rolled her eyes at him…

"It's a puppy, you moron!"

Malfoy looked at her as if she had gone mad-

"You do realize that we are here for something much more important than finding homes for wild beasts?"

"Wild Beasts?? C'mon Malfoy! This sweet thing is not a wild beast… And what are you doing here again anyways? Didn't I tell you that I can take care of myself perfectly well?"

"Believe me Granger, I get no pleasure from the company of an insufferable, goody two shoes know-it-all like you. It's just that…"

He broke off looking away.

"Go on. Kindly inform me as to why you are being so considerate towards my pathetic life form?"

"Potter and Smith would kill me if anything happened to you…"

"Hah! I never thought I would be alive to see the day where Draco Malfoy would be forced to babysit any living thing! This is priceless!"

Malfoy got an enraged look in his eyes as Hermione continued to laugh.

"_Fine! If you cannot appreciate decency on my part, then there is no need for me to show any to you!"_

Having said that, he disapparated in thin air with a faint crack sound. Hermione turned towards the bench again, still laughing slightly and cuddling the tiny puppy in her arms. She looked up at the sky. The stars shined like bright and stunning diamonds against the inky darkness of the sky. The full moon shined brightly, scattering a soft white moonlight over every fixation in the small park…

Suddenly, the tiny puppy started cowering in her arms. Concerned, Hermione petted it gently but it continued to wriggle and then, it started yelping, making noises in the calm silence…

Then, Hermione heard a few cracking sounds behind her and the puppy started literally howling. She turned around, wand in position with every important-in-the-situation spell on the tip of her tongue when she saw something that rendered her speechless…

_How could she be so dumb?! And it was the full moon night too!_

_Why, in front of her were standing 5 men who were right now, in the process of turning into werewolves! _

* * *


	6. An evening at the Park

**OK, I know what you all are thinking! And I am sorry to update sooooo late. Really! But what can I do, school's been really busy and so has life. I had to go for some programming competitions (BTW, I won!) and some other stuff. Also, I know that this chapter is short and unsatisfactory and truly, I haven't read even once after writing it. Just my guilt eating away at me, telling me to update, so, I did. For some time, I was hit with writer's block but I am alright now, with fresh ideas on how to proceed to where I want this story after a few chapters. Please don't hate me!**

**Thank you all those who reviewed and added me to their alerts or favourites. It's really flattering! Sob sniff! Ok, enough with the mushy stuff, on with the story now!**

* * *

Chapter 6

**An Evening at the Park**

A very loud howl filled the silent night atmosphere, chilling Hermione's blood. She started backing away from the nightmare unfurling right in front of her eyes. The bloodshot eyes of the five werewolves were fixed on her. Their mouths lathering and fur standing on end, Hermione was surprised she was alive by now…

Her body started acting of its own accord, for a few nanoseconds, she did not know what she was doing. Stowing away the squealing and yelping puppy in her bag behind her back and backing away hastily from the monsters in front of her was when finally her mind took over.

Till then, one of the werewolves was already rushing towards her, and, as fast as she could, she cast a shield on her body so as not to be scratched or bitten and then turned her wand towards the diabolic creature who was about to leap over her and cast a spell to bind him. Ropes bound him and he started thrashing about in his bound state which made her sure that it would not be long till the ropes would hold him. She sent a shower of red sparks in the sky, even though it was not a symbol that she needed help because the other' wand must have alerted them by now, but because she was worried that they had not come yet, she was not sure how long she would be able to keep herself unscathed.

By then, two werewolves had rushed to the first one and freed him of his bounds and the other two went after her again. Soundlessly, she sent a stunning spell at the first but it did not seem to have any effect on the beast except to slow him down slightly. She tried another spell to slow him down but it did not affect him at all. Hermione was at her wits end. She dare not turn her back to the danger and try to run in case they leapt at her.

It was not that Hermione did not know any spell to protect her. Quite the contrary, anyone who even slightly knew her could tell you that if there was anyone who had the ability to be able to learn and master spells with a prodigious speed, it would be her. But that was defense against human beings! Not monsters!

She tried again and hit a conjunctivitis curse at the werewolf's eyes. The night, which was by now already filled with snarls and growls of the five beasts now overflowed with howls of certain pain and anguish, emitted by the werewolf nearest to her, which provoked the four others to leap at her simultaneously…

This was sure death! Whatever Hermione had wanted in life, it was never a messy death which was now assured! Hell, she hadn't ever thought of death, she was too young! There were so many books left for her to read, so many places to visit, so many things to do, she still had to feed her goldfish, become the head auror, make her country proud… No, she wouldn't die!

With the agility of a seeker that would make Harry proud, she constructed a magical barrier in front of her The werewolves collided with the magical wall almost comically and snarled at her when they realized that they could not get to her. Almost cracking a grin at the scene and her current situation, she backed away a bit more and felt something hard behind her, she was trapped between a huge tree and her own shield, which, though still strong would surely wear down in a little while… She may have been too scared to do anything else or think anything else but there was one thought which did not leave her mind at all… _Where the heck was Draco Malfoy when you needed him?_

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

* * *

Draco was about to contact Smith after returning from checking over Granger when his wand started vibrating, violently! He knew that one of his teammates was in trouble, mortal trouble by the look of the vibrating wand. He prayed to god it wouldn't be the one, who he had a dark suspicion, would be in trouble but the fate was not on his side today. His fears were confirmed when his wand emitted five pink sparkles. Hermione Granger was in a difficulty…

The wands of the two others would have been alerted already, and with this thought in mind, Draco sent a patronus with a message for Potter, informing him to apparate to Hermione's position. Having done that, he himself turned on the spot but at the time he was supposed to disappear into thin air, he faced a block! Surprised, Draco tried again but could not get through.

Suddenly, he heard two pops behind him and turned to see Arun Raoul and Terry Boot looking very tense and worried.

"We cannot apparated to her position Draco!" Arun broke the silence and moved towards Draco.

"I know, I tried it too. Whoever is attacking her must have put up anti apparition wards on the area of that blasted park!" Said Draco as he once again tried to apparated and failed.

"I just hope Hermione's alright." Boot replied to Draco's dark prediction which made Arun try to apparated again as well. Draco was suddenly worried, not for the girl herself but how it would seem, telling his boss that he had got his teammate, someone who he was in the process of training killed on her first case. His mind went into overdrive… Within seconds, the blond came up with a plan of action.

"Listen guys, we try to apparated as near as we can to Granger's position, and then start increasing the distances. These wards can't be spread over a very wide area otherwise they would have attracted the attention of the Misuse of Magic Department. Let's do it, on the count of three… One, two, three."

The three men apparated with faint pops and appeared almost together a few feet away from the gate of the park. Nodding to each other, they ran towards the park gate. Draco was about to blast away the gate when behind him, he heard four more pops. Draco heard Potter command Matthews and Longbottom to stay near the gate as lookout for any more trouble as he blasted the lock on the gate and heard Blaise, Arun, Potter and Boot run after him. The five of them suddenly stopped as they heard three long and bone marrow chilling howls which could belong to no other creature except werewolves…

They ran forward and saw five werewolves, one bound, one howling in agony and three others trying to attack a silvery white defense shield which protected a lonely girl. Draco could see the shimmering shield slowly, but surely giving away to the pounding heavy paws and claws. He knew that throwing any spells at them would be useless, having been in such a situation before but a little reversed. At that time, there had been five people surrounding one werewolf which they overcame with a considerable amount of effort. This time, it was Hermione bloody Granger trapped with five werewolves. Draco had always wondered whether there was something that attracted trouble in little do-good-Gryffindors. Harry Potter being the prime example and the trapped witch not far behind on that list. Whatever the matter, Draco was sure that it would not be easy for six people (considering whether Granger would be able to attack, if she didn't then it would be five people) get rid of _five _werewolves. Draco was suddenly glad that Potter decided to leave his bumbling fool (read Longbottom!) at the gate. He would be nothing but a liability but was sure that Matthews would've been a help. Well, he thought, you can't have the world!

Draco looked over at Potter who stared back at him. This was how they communicated, understanding each other's plans perfectly. "5-C, from the back," was all he said and Draco nodded, turning back urgently and whispering the plans to the rest so as not to attract attention of the beasts. He could see the worry in the eyes of his team mates, even Blaise but it was most evident on Potter's face and his eyes seemed afraid, not for his own life but for Granger's. They quickly took up their positions in such a way to take the werewolves by surprise but, to Draco's dismay, the wind changed its direction. The wolves slowed down as well and sniffed the air, slowly turning in the directions of their position. _Heck with the plan, they needed to act now!_

"_Fuck the plan!"_ He shouted at the top of his voice, "_move, NOW!"_

Almost instantaneously, spells shot out from five different wands. The werewolves leapt towards them dodging the spells and the aurors spread apart, trying to get better aims. Draco moved right as a werewolf landed almost in front of him, jaw snapping and drooling. He almost got his arm bitten off before the werewolf fell to the ground, mid leap, bound in shackles made of silver and struggling as hard as he could. Draco had always been great with that spell. He looked around and saw that the rest were having trouble with the three other werewolves, as no spell was affecting them… He bound forward, slowing down the wolf that was about to mangle Blaise's pretty, head, Draco would surely be thanked later for saving his best friend's precious hair!

Potter had run over towards Granger and somehow, blasted the werewolf still at her shield away from his path. Her shield by now had gone down and she almost collapsed as he reached out to her. He snorted and looked away to where Arun and Boot were fending off a wolf using fire. Draco aimed a spell at the creature but missed as it was too fast and jumped out of the way. Potter, having already bound one, was trying to help him. Finally, all of them surrounded the only beast left unrestrained and managed to bind him but they were unable to silence his howls which tore into the night before Blaise hit him with a sleep inducing spell right in his eyes.

Panting heavily, Draco wiped his brow which was covered in beads of sweat. "That's a job well done!" He said to his team mates who nodded appreciatively. He heard a whimper and looked around and saw Granger in Potter's arms. She was trembling and he was soothingly rubbing her back and head trying to calm her down.

"_I thought I was about to die!"_ she said hysterically…

"Pity you didn't!" Draco replied cruelly. After all, this was what he was best at. And moreover, the little bint deserved it, hadn't she told him that he was being dumb when he was trying to look out for her…

"Malfoy! Can't you give it a rest!" Potter's eyes flashed behind his glasses as he stopped Granger from replying scathingly by turning her back in his embrace and soothing her anger and fears, holding her close.

"Draco, don't…" This time, it was Blaise who said that as he walked over to the slightly trembling girl. "Are you alright Hermione?" He asked her as she stood beside Potter.

"I guess so. Just scared a bit. Actually, I was scared a lot five minutes ago!"

"Don't worry, anyone in your position would have been!" He replied kindly. Granger smiled back at him. Draco had had enough of the sappy situation!

"Hey Draco, what to do with these guys?" Arun came to his rescue. He had been stacking the wriggling body of the beasts together.

"Yeah. We should jus-"

"_Wait!"_ Granger cut in, "I want to try something."

"What precisely?"

"Just give me a second. I'll show you…"

She walked over to the bound werewolves who eyed her like dinner walking towards them willingly. If she unbound them, Draco had no doubt what would happen to her. No, even she wasn't stupid enough to do something so dumb and fatalistic. But, who knew what nobility went into the minds of Gryffindors. If she died, the blemish on Draco's reputation as a chief auror would be in shambles. The blemish of the death of a trainee dying on a field mission under his supervision would never be washed away. _Draco would be damned before letting her do something like that._ He took out his wand, tense in his hand. Ready to handle any sort of dumb situation that she would create.

Granger went towards the first werewolf which she had bound and raised her wand. Then, continued to move it in a very complicated motion. Her wand emitted a golden brownish light which engulfed the writhing form of the werewolf in front of her and Draco, in spite of himself, lowered his wand to watch the spectacle, and so did everyone else. The werewolf cried out in visible agony and for a moment, Draco thought that the muggle born was torturing the creature, not that it did not deserve it but such a deed was so out of character for her. But, when he saw the fur shrinking back in the skin of a large rugged body and face becoming a bit human like, did he realize that she had turned the monster in a human being.

The man glared at the people present there and spat at Granger's feet. Before Draco could do anything, Potter and Blaise caught him by his arms and collar and held him back roughly as he tried to lunge at her again. Arun had pulled her back and now faced the rough uncouth man who, a few minutes back had been a werewolf, along with the other aurors. Draco commanded Boot to call Sarah Matthews and Longbottom. Next, he turned to the three men who had begun questioning the bound male, who was snarling at them and growling at Granger ever so often even in his human form. "Guys, stop it, we have to move. This neither time, nor place for a questioning session. The anti apparition wards may go down any time and who knows what happen then if some of their friends decide to pay us a visit." Draco saw the others realize that he was talking sense. By now, Matthews and Longbottom had come to the scene of crime, with amazement and not shock in their eyes, telling Draco that they must have been briefed about the situation by Boot on their way.

"You're right Draco." Blaise, always the voice of reason backed away and picked up a heavy looking rock and touched it with his wand, muttering under his breath. The rock glowed blue and Draco knew that it had been transformed into a portkey. Arun and Potter levitated the werewolves and the snarling man and bound them magically to the portkey. Everyone gathered around the rock, Granger took out something from her bag, and Draco saw it was the same puppy which she had been holding earlier. He rolled his eyes at her in disbelief and she glared back defensively, holding the soft and tiny, licking creature closer to herself. He could not believe she still had it with her. Really, he would never be able to understand how her mind worked.

And with that last thought, all of them touched the portkey and feeling a tug behind their navel, were whisked away back to the assured safety of their department, with a full intent of working out the mystery presented to them which was getting deeper and deeper every step…

* * *

**Sorry for any spelling or grammatical error. Anyways, right now I am too sleepy to care. Do review, it makes my day. All types of reviews are welcome. Feel free to point out any mistakes but please review!!!**


	7. The Potion

**Chapter 6: The Potion**

* * *

_Sleep_! Ah, the blessed time where a human being was neither alive, nor dead… A soothing, calming equilibrium of brain which relaxes a person, rejuvenating one's body and mental disposition. Draco longingly thought of his wonderful, king sized bed, decked in the finest silk sheets and satin comforters back home at Malfoy Manor, and then jerked away from his thoughts rather abruptly! This was another one of his traits which not only he but others around him, found annoying as well (surprise surprise!). Rather, more of a masochist kind of quality. He tended to think and talk about things which he couldn't have at some particular moments and how he possessed the best of them. Potter once, had heatedly called him a sadist when once on a mission together for straight ten hours, neither of them had any food, he had went on to describe about the dinner (more of a feast) his parents would be in the middle of back home, while he and Potter had been hiding behind a rock, watching over a suspected hideout…

.

It was sufficient, then, to say that he had been working his arse off ever since he and his team returned from their field session (more like an adventure safari!!!) twelve hours, thirty seven minutes and twelve seconds ago.

_._

_Oh look, it's thirteen seconds now!_

.

He could not believe that he, Draco Malfoy, Chief Auror extraordinaire, was reduced to counting seconds! He, who could not keep a count of the number of girlfriends he had had, was at the moment, slumped in his chair glaring at the wall clock opposite his desk in his office. The white cup with a yellow smiley, on his desk top, now containing last few dregs of strong black coffee was smiling shamelessly at Draco's sleep deprived state. He was tempted to seize it and throw it against the wall, or even better, his head, but stopped himself only because it was a gift from Blaise. Who was asleep at that moment in his own mansion, on a soft bed… _Ok, this had to stop! _If anyone would be privy to his thoughts, they would not believe that sleep was the only thing on his mind as he fantasized about his best friend asleep… _God, he needed sleep!_

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They had returned back with their bound captives to the department to find William Smith waiting for them. The head Auror had jumped into action immediately, owing to the long years of experience and training, hadn't needed to be explained their situation. It almost seemed as if he had been expecting something of this sort. The werewolves had been taken to the questioning cells, to be questioned as soon they were back in their human forms. He had been pleased to see that none of his aurors had sustained any sort of scratches and thank god, no bites from the cursed creatures. Draco had expected to go home but, their boss was not finished with them. Them, being Draco and Harry Potter! Yes, the rest of the aurors were sent home after their ordeal (_Longbottom didn't face any ordeal!) _and the team leaders were supposed to stay and work. Blast!

.

So, after Draco watched Blaise, Granger and the others apparate away enviously, he went back to his office, picked up some energizing potions to give to the werewolves who had by now turned back into humans and would undoubtedly have passed out cold due to utter exhaustion (Draco was empathetic to that particular feeling!) and from there, went to the questioning cells where he spent three hours with Potter and five foul-mouthed criminals! _Oh joy! (_Read the sarcasm…)

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And that had been eight hours ago!

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A quick quotes quill, unlike Rita Skeeter's, did not exaggerate but wrote down the true account of what was happening, recorded all evidence from the captives (they used veritaserum when the men refused to tell them anything about who had sent them to attack), searching their clothes and going back to the scene of crime to collect anything they might have missed on earlier, they had returned back and went to work on the clues and information which they had procured. Whatever the situation and the mental exhaustion levels of the creatures, Draco had been very disturbed to see how less information had been recorded. It seemed as if the five men had forgotten about the attack after their transformation. And veritaserum could be administered only when they were in their human states.

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During questioning, all he and Potter could get out of any of them had been a cryptic sort of warning, and a threat that their masters would kill them all for what they were doing. It was only when Draco, highly frustrated entered the mind of one of the werewolves using legilimency, did he catch a memory of what he believed, was some sort of hideout before that image got erased from the man's mind. He could be sure that it had not been occlumency, almost as if, the memory was now forgotten, gone…

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Potter had immediately hurried out from the questioning cells and gotten him a pensieve where Draco transferred the memory, lest he forget as well. Smith had seen the memory about a dozen times and then left immediately, without a word to either of them. Draco suspected that the reason behind this characteristic but befuddling act was the three storey dark and ruined building which he had transferred in the pensieve.

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Draco, now, had to submit complete record files of the criminals. As there were five criminals, He had argued with Potter on who gets three and who gets two. They had tossed on it… Well, it was sufficient to say that it just wasn't Draco's day. Traitor galleon!!!

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But, God must've felt some, very little pity for the blond. His and Potter's next job was to teach their charges namely Granger and Longbottom on how to create record files and how to submit them. At least he wouldn't have to write so much, his fingers were already cramping due to excessive wand use and a bit of physical threatening! Owls had been sent to both of them an hour ago and Granger was due in his office any moment now. Draco wondered if he would be able to take a tiny nap in his high backed chair when she got here and started working…

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A short rap on his office door followed by the entry of the said witch brought him out of his stupor.

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Hermione Granger entered his office and shot him a patronizing look when she saw the disheveled form his desk was in. And Draco could not blame her. Had he been properly conscious and well rested, he would have done more than flinch at the disorganized files. This was something he could not bear. But, as these were not the circumstances, her view only fuelled his irritation.

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"I believe in manners and etiquettes Granger." He said to her bringing a haughty expression on his face.

"Even when you are devoid of them yourself?" She replied looking smug. _The wench!_

"Be that as it may, you entered my office-"

"I knocked, you deaf idiot!"

"Let me complete the sentence will you! That's another disregard of manners. I am your senior. Do not interrupt me again. And, I certainly do not remember asking you to come in…"

"_Why you little-"_

"Insulting me can be very harmful to your reputation. You see, my comments on your dossier would be perused first if you are ever considered for promotion!"

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Draco was met by a loud huff of annoyance as Granger whipped around, hair crackling and rippling as she turned around and walked out of his door. Stunned, Draco wondered if he had gone too far and was about to get off his chair and look for her to call her back (Smith was going to ask Longbottom and Granger what all they had learned as soon as he came back) when a knock sounded against his door again. He barked out "come in!" and for the second time in the last two minutes, Hermione Granger walked in his office, with grace and stance befitting a queen. She stopped beside a chair and looked at him pointedly, chin up in the air! Draco couldn't help but be amused as he smirked at her and nodded, signaling her to sit down…

.

Draco taught her how to record files, the order in which the details were supposed to be written in and how to magically bind them so they could not be used by anybody. He begrudgingly acknowledged (in his mind. Like he'd ever say something like that aloud!) that she was a very fast learner. No wonder she had gotten the most number of NEWTS in two decades in her last year and was called the brightest witch of her age. She worked fast and diligently and to his surprise, did not say a word even when she saw him closing his eyes for some time. She was on the third file when Draco opened his eyes again. Realizing that Smith could be back any moment and might even barge in his office, Draco was sure that his sleeping form would not bring out any sensitive side of his, if it even existed. Draco would loath to be scolded and could bet his life that Granger would never let him live it down.

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So, he did the next best thing he could, stared at the girl in front of him. He would tease and taunt her _after_ the third file would be in his desk drawer. He trusted her violent abilities too much to predict that she would desecrate anything within her reach by throwing it at is head. He'd rather not have the pain along with sleep deprivation and incomplete tasks.

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He looked at her as she wrote down details on yellow parchment. Draco had to admit he found her hair passable now. Better than the rat's nest they were at school. She had a high forehead, smooth and free of any sort of wrinkles. Her eyes had slight dark lines under them indicating she hadn't slept well. Her eyes, however, Draco was surprised to see were devoid of any sort of makeup. Surprised because all girls he had ever been with would not have been caught dead make-up-less. Dark long lashes, almost skimming her cheeks as she looked down and concentrated. Draco wondered whether they were fake or she had had a lash transplant sometime ago…

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Yeah, he really needed some sleep…

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"Stop staring at me." Granger told him in a calm tone, without even lifting her eyes.

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_Damn! He was caught._

_._

"Where do you want me to stare at then, the wall?" He replied, sneering at her.

.

***

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Draco was at home. Finally catching up on some sleep. He had been sleeping for six hours when a tapping noise coming from his window woke him up. He opened his eyes and looked towards the noise. His owl was waiting to be let in with a letter clutched in her beak. He went forward and let her in and she landed on his shoulder, dropping the letter in his outstretched hand and nipping his ear softly.

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His mother had got him Tara. She was a black majestic owl and Draco had adored her the moment he saw her. The feeling was mutual as the owl had flown from his mother's shoulder and landed at Draco's as soon as he saw her. Whatever anybody might believe, Draco had always loved animals, exceptions being the monsters that oaf Hagrid used to bring in class. He had never liked Hippogriffs and anything said about the blast ended skrewts would be an understatement. But, he was very proud of his horses, hounds and many other creatures his mother liked to keep in one of their gardens. Tara, by far, was his favourite!

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He opened the letter quickly and found it to be from his department. Smith had called a meeting in half an hour.

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A while back in his office, after another verbal spat with him, Granger had asked him what he and Potter had found out after the interrogation. Disinclined to tell her much, he had given her a vague idea, and it was not as if there was much to tell, since so little information had been procured. She found the fact that the memory disappeared from the werewolf's mind interesting. Too interesting in his opinion. She had questioned him and almost requested him to describe the effect. Overcome with curiosity over her behavior, despite himself, told her about it. Her big eyes became huge as they widened in some sort of understanding and having completed recording the last file, she ran out of her seat.

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Draco was really too tired to feel anything other than slight surprise.

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Anyways, he had had enough. He was going home. Writing a memo to Potter and folding and charming it, the memo-plane flew out of his room as he walked to the apparition-disapparition room of the auror department and fell in his bed, fully clothed, only conscious long enough to kick off his shoes.

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His mother must've been in his room, he realized as he saw a soft quilt that lay on his bed. Anyways, being well rested, he walked into his bathroom and took a long, awaited shower and got ready for the meeting.

.

***

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Draco apparated in the department at almost same time as Arun, who was so shocked to see him on time that he almost stumbled, knocking down a table which held a vase full of bright pink, almost neon flowers in some sort of green liquid, which he then embarrassedly cleaned up with a wave of his wand and with a last grin at Draco, walked out.

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Seriously, this place was full of drama queens.

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Yes, he was un-characteristically early for a meeting because he had wanted to stop at his office to not only pick up the completed criminal records, but also some other things that Smith had asked for in his letter. He would have to find those and he would be right on time, late for other people, so, no harm done!

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Hands in his pocket, he walked out winking at the witch sitting behind a desk just outside the room, who blushed and giggled, causing Draco to smirk more. He would've stopped but now was not the time. Smith would have his hide if he saw him.

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Opening the door to his office, Draco walked in, waving his wand, organizing the papers littering his room effectively. He opened his drawer and took out the files. Then, he turned around, opening his cupboard and started ruffling through it when the door to his office opened and in came a slightly tired but thoroughly excited looking Hermione Granger. She had two books in her hand which she quickly dropped on his table and went on to flex her arms. Judging by the size of the books, her arms would be cramped!

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Draco stared at her.

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"Don't look at me like that Malfoy!" She huffed at him but not angry, Draco could see that her mind was on something else.

"Sorry but when someone bursts in my office without any invitation, preamble or reason, I tend to stare."

"Oh don't worry, I've got enough reason! It's about the vanishing memory you saw."

Draco was intrigued by now. "What about it?" He asked her, abandoning his cupboard as he walked towards her.

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She said nothing but started rifling through the first book and finally opened an ear marked page and shifted it towards him. "The eyes of those men, Malfoy. Did they look like these?" She asked.

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Draco stared at the picture of a fierce man on the page. His eyes were orange. Very eerie looking, almost blank. He would've missed it to his facial expression had Granger not pointed it out. At the time in the questioning cells, he had overlooked the orange colour of the men's eyes thinking it to be somehow related to them being werewolves, but now, he looked up at her demanding some sort of explanation.

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"I went to the archives when I abruptly exited your office in the morning," she explained.

He sighed. This was typical. When in doubt, run to the library. There was a reason why Smith had asked them to rest, they were supposed to be fully rested and properly alert for a raid that night. "You should've gone home. There is supposed to be a raid tonight Granger!"

"Listen to me first Malfoy, this is important!" She cut him off and continued. "What you described to me, I have seen that happening before. I had convinced a house elf to report against a family that beat him mercilessly and on the day of the hearing, he slowly but surely, lost all his memories of that particular incident, which were soon replaced by other fake memories. He was checked for spells and curses. None found whatsoever. I took a blood sample of the elf and checked it to find a strange potion, never seen before. I dissected it and found traces of a memory modification potion, but, mixed with many more ingredients. I believe it almost worked like an obliviate… I found out later that the potion was too unstable to be swallowed, had to be injected…"

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Draco was shocked. "And Potter did find tiny pinpricks on their forearms, we didn't pay much attention to that…"

"Believe me Malfoy, I know what I am talking about! Look at this!" She opened the other book and directed him to a small paragraph which described how such potions worked, erasing desired thoughts and replacing them with others if required.

"Such potions are very hard to brew!" She continued. "The precise weighing, timing and heat required. Not to mention the position of the moon and time of the day."

"If what you are saying is correct Granger, then I am afraid this is really something big that we are against. Smith should know about it."

"You read my thoughts Malfoy!" She gave him a half sarcastic, half amused smile. "Let's go, what are we waiting for, we are already late for the meeting!"

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Draco looked at his watch. It was fifteen minutes past the time at which they had to be assembled for the meeting. He chuckled to himself, his lateness record was intact!

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Draco saw Granger taking the books in her arms shakily and attempting to open the door which opened on the inside. He saw her struggle for a few moments and then sighed to himself and went forward, taking the books out of her hands.

She looked up at him, befuddled. "Did you just willingly help me?" She asked him, not able to control herself.

"Just shut up and open the door Granger!"

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***

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**Hey everyone! I know it's been long and this chapter was quite unsatisfactory but don't worry, next one's gonna be up soon! I promise! It's already half written and I hope to be able to upload it by tomorrow or day after. My exams are coming soon so I don't know when I'd be able to update after the next chapter but I can assure you all, I would not abandon this story!**

**And please review! It makes my day! **

**V**


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